Minor League Roundup: The Artistry Of Arismendy

Today’s roundup features a Cubs prospect with one of the rarest stat lines in all the minors, a Yankees outfielder who keeps racking up the hits, a White Sox outfielder coming off a white-hot month, and a sneaky good Marlins outfielder.

Bad Break For Chicago

The White Sox got bad news Tuesday when it was reported that Tim Anderson, the electric young shortstop at high Class A Winston-Salem, had a broken wrist and would miss 4-6 weeks while recovering. That comes just one day after the team learned its best arm, Francellis Montas, would miss the rest of the season with knee surgery. To make up for Anderson’s loss, slick-fielding shortstop Cleuluis Rondon has been promoted from low Class A Kannapolis. Tough news for White Sox fans and prospect-watchers alike.

International League

Steven Souza, of, Syracuse (Nationals): In another organization, Souza might be in the majors right now. With the Nationals, however, where one outfielder is talking about benching another, Souza doesn’t have a place. Regardless, he’s done nothing but mash this year. On Tuesday, went 3-for-5 with his 12th and 13th homers of the season, scored twice and drove home three runs. During the Arizona Fall League, Souza’s balls off the bat were timed by TrackMan as some of the hardest hit, and his 1.038 OPS this season seems to indicate that he hasn’t stopped mashing.

Pacific Coast League

Arismendy Alcantara, 2b/of, Iowa (Cubs): We talk all the time about Alcantara’s teammates, so it’s time to give him some due. He’s had a fantastic season largely in the shadows of Javier Baez and Kris Bryant, and is one of just two players in the minor leagues this year with double-digit figures in doubles, triples, homers and stolen bases. The other, if you’re wondering (and I know you are) is Orioles prospect Mike Yastrzemski. Alcantara collected three hits in a doubleheader on Tuesday and stole his 19th and 20th bases of the season. He’s currently riding an 11-game hitting streak, and for the season is slashing .307/.348/.540 with 22 doubles, 10 triples and 10 homers to go with 20 stolen bases in 23 chances.

Eastern League

Kyle Crick, rhp, Richmond (Giants): The stuff has never been questioned with Crick. Once he gains some semblance of control and command, it’s over. Over his last two starts he’s permitted just three hits over 10 innings shutout with 15 strikeouts mixed in. He’s also walked seven, which is why he’ll always be a bit of an enigma. He chucked five scoreless with two hits, two walks and five strikeouts yesterday, but hasn’t had an appearance without a walk since a three-inning outing in the Arizona Fall League last November.

Southern League

Michael Lorenzen, rhp, Pensacola (Reds): Last year at this time, Lorenezen was two days away from making his pro debut in the Rookie-level Arizona League. Tuesday, he tossed six innings of six-hit, two-run ball with one walk and five strikeouts. Overall this season his mid-to-upper-90s gas, slurve and changeup have helped him have a fine season in the Southern League, where he’s held hitters to a .245 average and worked to strikeout-to-walk ratio of better than 2-to-1.

Texas League

Scheduled off-day

Florida State League

Jake Cave, of, Tampa (Yankees): I could easily have gone with Aaron Judge and his grand slam here, but instead chose Cave, who collected four hits in seven trips, scored three times and stole his eighth base. He’s got 104 hits this season, just 11 behind minor league leader Jose Peraza (who was off last night) and one behind the dynamic duo of Mookie Betts and Kris Bryant. He hasn’t hit for much power this season, but that’s OK so long as he stays in center field. If advanced stats are your thing, he’s eighth among FSL qualifiers in wRC+ and wOBA.

Carolina League

Jacob May, of, Winston-Salem (White Sox): Yeah, he was 1-for-4 last night. So what? Well, this post is a mea culpa of sorts. I completely missed it, but May had a scorching June. (That’s a bit confusing, no?) The outfielder ended May with a .204 average. A month later, he’s up to .261. How’d he do it? By hitting .366/.393/.535 in June, that’s how. He doubled nine times, tripled four times, stole 20 bases and didn’t get caught at all. That’s good, right?

California LeagueRyon Healy, 1b/3b, Stockton (A’s): After a scorching June that saw him hit .353/.355/.539, Healy kept it going in July. He went 3-for-4 on Tuesday with a pair of singles and his 10th homer of the year. So far this season, he and Matt Olson have combined to form a very productive pair in the middle of Stockton’s lineup. He’s got the potential for 20-plus homers in the near future because of his plus raw power and loft in his swing. The A’s also believe his all-fields approach could suggest a feel to hit.

Midwest League

Michael Feliz, rhp, Quad Cities (Astros): Guess he’s pretty happy about earning a spot in the Futures Game, eh? A day after learning he’d replace Montas, Feliz spun a gem against Beloit. He allowed just one unearned run on four hits and a walk over seven innings and struck out seven. The quick-armed Feliz brings his fastball up to 98 mph and has a plus slider as well. The makings of a changeup are there as well, giving a three-pitch mix and a chance to remain a starter going forth.

South Atlantic League

Austin Dean, of, Greensboro (Marlins): Miami’s fourth-rounder from 2012 has a very quick bat and a line-drive stroke, but showed off quite a bit of pop yesterday at Lexington. He went 4-for-5 with a double and a grand slam and scored twice as part of the Grasshoppers’ 16-run attack (they’ve scored 36 runs in their last two days) against the Legends. He’s quietly had a very solid season, slashing .310/.362/.467 with 15 doubles and five homers. Moreover, he’s been consistent, hitting well against righties and lefties and at home and on the road.